Well plug



T. M. RAGAN May 9, 1950 WELL PLUG 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Filed July 3l, 1945 iff/Oms T. M. RAGAN May 9, 1950 WELL PLUG 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3l, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 9, 1950 WELL PLUG-V Thomas M. Regan, Downer, Calif.,`assigner:- tor Baker Gil Tools, Inc., Vernon,Qali.,aoorp.oxa

tion of. California y Application Julyr31', 1945,y SeriarlfNQ. 6075980'9 Qlam$ (C14v 16,6#7-7-13) This invention relates to wellplugs, and moreparticularly-tofplugs adapted to forma bridge or barrier in well oasingsandsimilar conduits.

It is an object oithezplesent invention to provide-abridgezfpiugzcapable of being anchored ma well casing, of simpleV andsturdy construction, andA having a relatively 'small overall length` yand mass'for its load carrying capaci-ty.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved plug which canbelowered in a well bore Ona runningsin stri-ngtothefdesired settinglpoint and there hydraulioallysanohored to a well casing by propermanipulation: of the running-in string.

A furtherfobject oi the'invention is to provide awell plug settableinawelfl casing- .through manipulationoi the runningnzstringbymeans ofwhich the plug is loweredin vthe Well, bore.

Still another object-oi the invention isA to provide a well bridgeplugsettable by manipulation ot the running-instring,g in, which movement ofthe running-in string to-anohor` the plug; in the easing eiectsautomatic disconnectionA of the string -from--the plug..

This invention has otherl objects that will be come apparentfrom aconsideration of the'emloodirnentsI shownin .thel drawings accompanyingand forming part of the present specification. These forms will now bedescribed in detail to illustratethegeneral principles Vof theinvention, but it is to .be-understood ,that such detailedV descriptionis not to be takeny in a limited sense, since the scope of the inventionisbest-deflned. by the claims appendedshereto.;

Referringl tothe drawings:-

FigureY 1Y is; a; longitudinal, section of:v oneffonn of theAinvention,` With its parts-in position,y fory 1owerinan;-awe11 casing;

Figure 2*.-fis a viewsimilar. to Figure 1 showing the well pluganchoredtothe-:casing:

Figures isacrossfseetion, taken, alone the-ifm@ 33- in Figure-1;

Eigurel isalongitudnal section or a: modied form of the invention; and

Figure is: a lonsitudinelA section oistill an: otherembodimentoftheinvention.A

In the form of :the Y invention .,shown: in yFiguras lfto, thebridgeplug- A= is loweredtbrollah @a well easing B on e1-suitablerunninevin:string,C`,. such as a wire linev Iheflower end of the: linelil is securedto azsinkerbar l` lrthreaded into the upper The: lowerendifotithesettingf tool body Mints over` the upnennorftion o1? a1tubular :plus bodyzi6; te which it isf suitably seoureciiby-r oneora-more shear screws; Il; Tne-:body-has a flange abutmen-t --l s;threadedonitslowerend, and; a. genenall-y frustovconieal expanderl laslidablyf mounted on its exterior, the outersurfaee 200i; thelexpandertaperingr downwardly'and inwardly for sliolable engagement withvvooruga-nien taperedzsu-rgfaces 2l interiorly of a pluralityV ofsesrnentalslinsf whoselower ends abutA or areA adjacentr the, bodyflange; |8 The slipsf-22iy are held initially in retracted 'positionby apluralityl of ,shear serewsza securing them to .the conical .i expanderI `ll'.

A packingr 24 ofigeneral oup-shapegisgattached tothe expander I9, with,,itsfrbase portion. 25 engaging the upper, end'ffthe-expanden clamp ring2B is pressedfagainst the-other Sideof the base portion2Srby-apluralityv of screws 21T-extending through themand threaded intothetupper end of the expander. Thevpaokingehasgan outer upstanding rim,28fsliciablyengageable with the wall :of the casinggB andra-n innerrim29 slidably engageable with the; exterior cylindrical surface Him-ofthezbody. I6@

Af sleeveactuator- 30; isf heidi' initially inean up,- ward positionwithinlthe body by one or more shear screws 3l. Leakage therebetween ispre,- vented bya suitable SideV seal ,32.-fpositioned1within a'groove 33in the exterior of the sleeve andengaging the inner Wall ofthe. body I6;. The lower end of the sleeve projects; outwardly from the body toform an outwardly extending ilange v34.115,0 whoh is. securedspaeed-tensionmembers .or tie rods 35 extending; freely upwardlythrough: holes 315- in theVA body flange |8 and: between the; segmentals1ips-22 ifmV threaded attachment tothe lowery end of the conicalexpander IS'. Each tie rod- 35.1 iasalowerhead- 3l eneaeinawthe lowersurfaceof the sleeve :flange 34 yancla suitable looknutisensaginsits'upner surfaoe, ,to provide. rigid attachmentIbeiwveen.l thefoonical e-Xfnander i9 5 and thesleeve actuatorI 3,0,which; rreventsy relative movement therebetween inbotli` longitudinaldie reotions.,

A; tapered; seat: Safis'zforniediin, thee-sleeve actuator. forengagementy byv a; tripnineba-ll 40; which .may be 1contained;WithinYthe body- -lti during; lowering of the. tool in the wellnasing. Alocke-is also provided. to prevent downward., movement ,of4 the bodywithin the expander. Speeieally; such look takes. the.: form. of, oneorrmore. spaced, longif tudinally extending;taneredsrooves 4i; inthefex.- hander i9, whose base portions 4g2-arelno1ined downwardly andinwardly. A ball 43 isilooated in each of these grooves, and is adaptedto wedge between the exterior Ia of the body and the base 42 of thegroove when downward movement of the body I6 relative to the expander I9tends to occur, thus locking the two members together.

The tool is lowered in the well bore on the end of the running-in stringC, which may be the wire line, tubing, sucker rods, or any othersuitable parts, with the external rim 28 of the packing cup 24 engagingthe wall of the casing B and with the shear screws 3I, 23 in place tohold the parts in their initial relative positions, with the slips 22retracted inwardly from engagement with the casing, preferably withinthe circumferential connes of the body flange I8. Any fluid that mightbe present in the well casing .by-passes around and through the plug,most of it iiowing upwardly through the sleeve actuator 30, disengagingand elevating the ball 40 from its seat 39, owing around the ball,through the upper end of the body I6 into the setting tool I3, fromwhere it passes outwardly through slots 44 in the wall of the settingtool to a point above the plug.

When the location in the casing is reached at which the plug is to beset, downward movement of the running-in string is stopped, allowing theball 40 to rest on the sleeve seat 39. If the uid level in the casing ishigh enough to provide a sufficient hydrostatic head, the running-instring C need only be elevated a shortl distance to trip and set theslips 22. When a suiicient hydrostatic head of fluid rests on top of theplug, a sufcient downward force is exerted on the packing cup 24 andball closed sleeve actuator 30 to shear the sleeve screw 3| and slipscrews 23, shifting the conical expander`I9 in a relative downwarddirection along the body IE and within the slips 22 to cause outwardexpansion of the latter into engagement with the casing B. Such actioncan occur since the fiuid is prevented from moving down past the bridgeplug by engagement of the outer rim 28 of the packing cup with thecasing and its inner rim 29 with the body I6, and also because of theengagement of the trip ball 40 with the sleeve seat 39 and theprevention of leakage between the sleeve 30 and inner wall of the bodyI6 by the side seal 32. It is to be noted that the hydrostatic head offluid is acting downwardly over substantially the entire internal areaof the well casing to set the slips, since it is acting over theinternal area of the body and across the annular area between the zbodyand the well casing.

If the hole is dry, the plug can be lowered to the desired setting pointand liquid dumped or .pumped into the casing on top of it. Such uidcannot flow past the plug because of the annular packing 24 and the tripball 40. Accordingly, when a suiiicient head of uid has been placed onthe plug, the sleeve screw 3| and slip screws 23 will be sheared by theweight of the fluid alone and the sleeve actuator 30 and expander I9moved downwardly along the body I6 to expand the slips 22 out againstthe casing B.

The increasing of the hydrostatic head above the plug to a suiiieientextent will permit an upward strain to be taken on the running-in stringC, after the slips 22 have been engaged with the casing, to shear thesetting tool screw I 'I and allow removal of the setting tool I3 andstring C to the top of the well bore. As an alternative, a downwardforce, such as a downward jarring, can be availed of to shear thesetting tool screw I1, after the slips have been anchored to the casing.Y.

Another method of setting the slips is to utilize a full casing of welluid extending completely to the top of the well bore. Assuming that thecasinr is full of liquid, the casing head at the surface is closed whenthe plug reaches its setting point. The running-in string C is thenelevated, which tends to elevate all of the packer or plug p-arts withit. Since the packing cup 24 and sleeve actuator 30 with its engagingball 40 cannot move upwardly because of the dead column of fiuidthereabove, the initial upward movement of the running-in string Ccauses sufficient force to be exerted to shear the screw 3l securing thesleeve actuator 3* to the body l5 and the screws 23 holding the slips 22to the conical expander I9. Such freeing of the body I6 and slips 22permits their upward shifting with the running-in string C, the bodyflange I8 moving the slips up along the tapered surface 20 of theexpander I9 Iand into engagement with the casing. After the slips haveengaged the casing, the body can no longer move in an upward directionbecause of the engagement of its flange I8 with the slips 22. As aresult, continuation of the upward strain on the running-in stringshears the screw or screws I'I securing the setting tool I3 to the bodyI5 and permits the setting tool and attached running-in string to beremoved to the top of the well bore.

Upon anchoring of the slips 22 to the casing, the body I6 is preventedfrom moving in an upward direction by the engagement of its flange I8with the lower end of the slips. Its movement in a downward direction isprevented by the wedging of the locking balls 43 between the bases 42 ofthe conical expander grooves 4I and the exterior I6a of the body.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the plug is lowered in the casingon a tubular string 4B. An imperforate setting tool I3a has its uppersub I2a threaded on the lower end of the tubular string and its body I4a welded or otherwise secured to the sub. The setting tool body issecured to the plug body I6 by one or more shear screws I'I, leakagebetween the two being prevented by a suitable side seal 47 positionedwithin a groove 48 in the setting tool and engaging the exterior of thebody I6a.

The modification shown in Figure 4 may be operated in the same manner asthe form of invention previously described. It also lends itself toanother mode of anchoring in the casing. The tripping ball 40 need notbe placed in the tool preparatory to running it in the well hole, butmay be allowed to gravitate down the tubing string 46, after the settingpoint is reached, into engagement with the actuator seat 39. Pressure isthen applied to the fluid in the tubing string to shear the screw 3Iholding the sleeve actuator 30 to the body and move the actuatordownwardly, pulling the conical expander I9 downwardly along the body ISthrough the agency of the intervening tie rods 35. Such pulling actionrst shears the screws 23 securing the slips 22 to the expander I9, andthen moves the expander down` ward within the slips to shift themradially into anchoring engagement with the casing B. With pressurestill imposed on the apparatus an upward strain taken on the tubingstring 4S shears the screws II securing the setting tool tothe body I 5,allowing the tubing string and setting tool to be elevated to the top ofthe well bore. If de` sired, the imposition of down weight in the tubingstring will shear these screws I 'I to release the' setting tool I3afrom the plug body I6.

The fornrof apparatusishownzinEigure .5 is

similar tothe otheriarrangements. A-.conical .ex-

pander' ISa:'isrthreadedlyfsecured.to a sleeve-.49 slidably mountedonthe bodyf Iffto clampzacaslng engaging packing cup. betweenthe upperendy of the r expander and thea flangedupper end 5i ofthe sleeve;Lea'lrage'-l between the.- sleeve Hand body It` ispreventedfby: asuitable sideseal 523 within a groove 531. in the upper. endofthesleeveslidably'engaging the exterior 16a. ofitheA .body ofthe-tool;

The tool` is lowered through thef wellicasing by means of-arunning-instring-*such asiaitubular stringill, which is1connected tothe body llby'avsubrl2cthreaded ontothe latter; prefer'- ably`v through a left-hand?"threadconnection-54. After the desired setting point-has-lbeen reached,the tripping ball fispumpeddownfor allowed't'o gravitate throughY thewell tubingY until it engages the: seat 3% atthe upperend'of thesleeve-actuator suicient pressure then b'eingapplied tol the fluid'toshear thescrewf 3l holding'the actuator tof'thebody iand' exerting adownward tensile force on the tension members t5; which will betransmittedto the'. conical expander' lila to-shear the slip screws'iland move the slipsf-z'outward- 1y into engagement withk the casing'.After the slips-have engaged'the casing the tubing, string IS-isrotatedito the right tounscrew the sub I2C from the ltop-of thebody l5'and permit removal of the tubing string to the top ofthe well bore:

In' the embodimentY just described, upward movement of the bodyl i6 isrprevented'by engagement of the body flange i3 with the lower end of theanchored slips 22. Downward movement to any great extent is prevented byengagement of a shoulder 55 on the upper portion of the body with theupper end of the external sleeve 49.

As assurance that the slipswill remain snugly in engagement .with thecasing in vthe event the body flange IB tends to move away from theslips242', springs 5t may bepositionedfwithin sockets 551 in this ange forengagement against the lower end of the. slips, in order to preventlowering of the slips. with respect to the conical expander I9 and theirinward movement from the casing.

In all forms of the invention, the tension members provide adirecttransmission of thrust between the sleeve actuator 3Q and conicalexpander E9. There is no bending action on such tension members, andthey can, accordingly, be made of relatively small cross-sections andstill be capable of transmitting large thrusts between the sleeveactuator and the expander, to insure firm anchoring of the slips 22 inthe wall of the casing B. This arrangement also permits simple tubularparts to be used, and reduces the cost of manufacturing the plug.

It is, accordingly, apparent that a simple bridge plug and method ofsetting the same have been provided. The plug is short in overalllength, has a minimum mass of material, and is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture. No special equipment is needed to set the plug in thecasing; only that which is ordinarily available at well locations. Inthe event that pumps are not available, the plug can be anchored verysimply by subjecting it to the action of a suicient hydrostatic head ofuid, or by closing the casing head and exerting an upward lift on therunning-in string. All that need be done is to commence elevating thebridge plug, and the weight of fluid itself, or the column of entrappedfluid thereabove, will shear the screws, set the slips against thecasing, and auto- )iii matically disconnect: ther settingw tool fram:AVthe plug;

Havingthusi-described my invention, what I claim' andf' desireE to=secure by Letters-Patent is z .if Awellplug adapted tobe loweredwithinand anchored toa well casing, including a'body, ex.- pander meansslid'able on said body and having e; tapered" surface inclined"downward-ly and inwardly, sli-ps slidable along said tapered: surfaceinto engagement-with said casing, packing means mnvable'with said"expander means and eiecting assai-between sa-idbody 'andfcasing saidpacking meansbeing disposed' above said-tapered surfaceand-mak-ing-Aslidable sealingengagement with the casing-*duringlowering` of the plug therewithin, loch means between said body andexpander means for preventing downward movementl of saidJ bodyfwithinsaid expander `means but allowing' rela-tive. upward movement cf vsaidbody withz iii-'said expander means,v andmeans'for preventingdownwardiiow ofiiuidth-rough said body.

2. A-well plug-adapted" tobe lowered within andan'chored toa-'wellcasing, including a body closed againstY downward' ilow of fluidtherethrough, expandermeansslidable on said body and having a taperedsurface-inclined 'downwardly and inwardly, slips movable upwardly bySaid bodyi along said tapered surface'into engagement with saidcasing,packing means movable with said expander means'and' effecting'a sealbetween said body l'and casing to`4 prevent downward flow of -fluidtherebetween, said packing means being disposed'v above saidA taperedsurface and making slidable'sealing engagementwith the casing during'lowering of the# plug` therewithin, lock meansbetween saidbody-andexpandermeans for preventing downward'y movement of said body withinsaid expander means but allowing upward movement of said body withinsaid" expander means to shift said slips upwardly along saidexpandermeans;

3. Awellplugadaptedtofbe lowered within and anchored: in'v awell casing;including a bcdy'closed against'downward flow o'uidtherethrough;expanden'means slidable'on said body and having an externaltapered-surface inclined downwardly and inwardly, slips disposed aroundsaid body and expander means, frangible means securing said slips tosaid expander means in retracted p0- sition, means on said bodyengageable with said slips to disrupt said frangible means and move saidslips upwardly along said tapered surface into engagement with saidcasing, packing means secured to said expander means and effecting aseal between said body and casing to prevent downward ow of fluidtherebetween, said packing means being disposed above said taperedsurface and making slidable sealing engagement with the casing duringlowering of the plug therewithin, lock means between said body andexpander means for preventing downward movement of said body withins-aid expander means but allowing upward movement of said body withinsaid expander means to shift said slips upwardly along said expandermeans, and means for preventing down-ward flow of uid through said body.

4. A well plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing, including a tubular body, expander means slidable on said body,slips cooperable with said expander means to be shifted thereby intoengagement with said casing, packing means on said expander means foreffecting a seal between said body and casing,

76 means within said body for preventing flow -of uid through said body,and one or more longitudinally extending tie rods connecting said flowpreventing means with said expander means.

5. A well plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing against downward movement, including a tubular body, expandermeans slidable on said body and having a tapered surface inclineddownwardly and inwardly, slips movable along said tapered surface intoengagement with said casing, packing means on said expander means foreffecting a seal between said body and casing, means movable downwardlywithin said body for preventing downward flow of uid therethrough, andone or more longitudinally extending tie rods connecting said flowpreventing means with said expander means.

6. A well plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing against downward movement, including a tubular body, expandermeans slidable on said body and having a tapered surface inclineddownwardly and inwardly, slips movable along said tapered surface intoengagement with said casing, packing means on said expander means foreffecting a seal between said body and casing, an actuator sleeveslidable within said body, one or more longitudinally extending tie rodsconnected with the lower end of said actuator sleeve and with saidexpander means, and means for preventing downward flow of fluid throughsaid actuator sleeve.

7. A w'ea'il plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing against downward movement, including a tubular body, expandermeans slidable on said body and having a tapered surface inclineddownwardly and inwardly, slips movable along said tapered surface intoengagement with said casing, packing means on said expander means foreffecting a seal between said body and casing, an actuator sleeveslidable within said body and projecting therebelow, one or morelongitudinally extending tie rods connected with said actuator sleevebelow said body and extending upwardly between said slips intoconnection with the lower end of said expander means, and means forpreventing downward flow of fluid through said actuator sleeve.

. 8. A well plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing, including a tubular body, expander means slidable on said body,slips cooperable with said expander means to be shifted thereby intoengagement with said casing, packing means on said expander means foreecting a seal between said body and casing, an actuator sleeve slidablewithin said body and having a lower outwardly extending iiange, one ormore longitudinally extending tie rods connected to said ange and withthe lower end of said expander means, and means for preventing flow offluid through said actuator sleeve.

9. A well plug adapted to be lowered within and anchored to a wellcasing against downward movement, including a tubular body having anoutwardly extending flange at its lower end, expander means slidable onsaid body and having a tapered surface inclined downwardly and inwardly,slips movable along said tapered surface into engagement with saidcasing, packing means on said expander means for eifecting a sealbetween said body and casing to prevent downward flow of fluidtherebetween, said packing means making slidable sealing engagement withthe casing during lowering of the plug therewithin, an actuator sleeveslidable within said body and having an outwardly extending flange belowsaid body flange, one or more tie rods secured to said sleeve ange andthe lower end of said expander means and extending through said bodyflange and between said slips, and means for preventing downward iow offluid through said actuator sleeve.

THOMAS M. RAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,983,287 Grinnell et a1 Dec. 4,1934 2,187,481 Baker etal Jan. 16, 1940 2,228.63() Kail Jan. 14, 19412,327,092 Botkin Aug. 17, 1943

